2018 #10 Paper Dolls: 'Dare to Dream' with EKC {by Corrie Herriman}

2018 Topic 10: Paper Dolls

It can be a bit of a challenge to create a 3 Dimensional project, but wow! Corries conjures up a wonderful scene in this wonderful shadowbox using stamps and Advantus PaperDolls.I hope this inspires you to make something perhaps...inside the box too! ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Corrie from MadeByCHook here with you today, and I'd like to share a shadowbox with you. 

As soon as I knew what the topic was going to be, I imagined a paper doll sitting in a flower and that's how this idea was born. I tried to create a dreamworld for these little paper people. I also really loved the topic of neutral colours before this one and decided to go with neutrals and add some blue with a touch of purple. I think this goes really well with the vintage colours of the paper dolls. 

I enjoyed thinking out how this was going to come together. Something I always do; I have an idea but never start on it until I am sure about how to get it done. This is a way of avoiding having to do things twice because you didn't think them through. I suppose that is the control freak in me... Anyway, here is how it came together: 

This box was in my stash for years. I bought it at Ikea years ago and the paper at the back is actually covering up the glass; I glued a piece of grey board on the outside to hide the glass from that side and to be able to decorate the box on all sides. It came without legs and the opening you see at the front is actually the back. I just took out the back panel. To start I glued on the legs and painted a layer of gesso on it. With Fresco's there is really no need to use gesso but that is just how I work. 

As I thought it would be impossible to use a stencil and paste inside the box, so instead I made an insert out of Mixed Media paper. I can just slide this inside the box once I am finished with it. 

This was done with Kay Carley's stencil  PS061

I also used the stencil and the model paste on the outside of the box. It gives it just a little bit more interest.

I wanted to have blue flowers to decorate the box, so instead of using my trusty Copic markers I decided to gel print some paper to stamp on. This worked really well. I used Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics in the colours {Glacier Ice}, {Venice Blue} and {Purple Rain}. Venice Blue and Glacier Ice are both paints from Seth Apter Set 4

Next I stamped the flowers from Kay Carley's sets {EKC01} and {EKC08} and I like the result. I then cut them all out to use inside my box. 

After the gesso had dried I painted the box and the insert all over with Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic in the colour {Chalk}. I then used some glazing fluid {Golden Acrylic Glazing Liquid (satin)} mixed with the {Venice Blue} Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic to add some detail to the stencilling. I really like this effect. 

I did struggle with how to decorate the edges of the box where the backpanel had been because it didn't look very nice. I looked through my stash and found this Sari ribbon. It was grey and brown but I just cut out some of the brown/beige bits and glued them on the edges. I think this looks really neat. The flowers at the top were then added to serve as a place for my sentiment. I also added some book text to the bottom because I just really like using book pages in my projects. Adds instant interest I think.

The nicest bit was arranging everything inside and deciding where to put the people. To make sure everybody stayed upright I used pieces of grey board to prop them up.

In the end I also added some {Vintage Photo} Distress Oxide Ink to the edges and used the same ink to stamp some one of the smaller stamps from set {EKC08} around the stencilling. Again this adds a little more interest. Apart from that I wanted to keep it simple because I think the paper dolls are the stars of the show !

I have really enjoyed making this project and I hope I was able to give you some inspiration too ! I love these paper dolls and I know there are a lot of people like me who love them also!  So play along with us, show us what you do with your paper dolls. We can always use more inspiration ! Thank you so much for stopping by today and I hope you'll visit me at my other locations too :

Corrie x

blog: www.MadeByCHook.blogspot.nl

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You must complete step 1 AND 2 to be entered into the draw. 

To join our challenge:
1. Leave a comment on the Topic Introduction Post and go in the draw to win a PaperArtsy Apron. 
2. Make something arty relevant to the topic, and link your creation from any social URL (eg. Instagram, Pinterest, Blog Post etc) sharing your original make to this challenge page 

The current topic link Topic 10: Paper Dolls will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, June 17th 2018, and the winner will be announced 1 hour later at 18:00, because we have some new product announcements starting at 19:00.